Panel and pedal operating mechanism.



H. 1. LA JOIE.

PANEL AND PEDAL OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 14. 1916.

Patented July 23, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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H. J. LA JOIE.

PANEL AND PEDAL OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION man JULY 14.1916.

1,273,382. 7 Patented July 23 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT J. LA JOIE, F ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOPIANO COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PANEL AND PEDAL OPERATING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT J LA J om, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Panel and Pedal Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a panel and pedal operating mechanism particularly designed for use in player pianos. In such instruments the pedals are only used when the player mechanism is in operation, butat such times they are necessarily positioned in front of the piano casing. When the piano is to be played manually the pedals are not needed, and it is customary to arrange the pedals so that they may be folded back inside of the casing when not in use. It is also customary to provide a sliding panel for closing the opening in the casing after the pedals have been folded back.

It has been the common practice to provide actuating mechanism for moving the pedals to operative and inoperative position, and for opening and closing the panel in predetermined relation to the movement of the pedals. It is the object of my present invention to improve and simplify the construction of the devices for moving the panel and pedals in predetermined relation.

With this object in view my invention relates to certain arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a player piano with my improvements embodied therein, the pedals being shown in operative position;

Fig, 2 is a front elevation of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 1, but with the ped als in inoperative position and the panel closed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the pedals and operating mechanism therefor, the pedals being in operative position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the pedals in inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a spring for counterbalancing the pedal frame;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevation of the operating cam;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed July 14, 1916. Serial No. 109,374.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 8 is a detail elevation of the pedal actuating lever, and

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. 2, and showing a guide for the sliding links.

Referring to the drawings, the piano casing 10 is provided with an opening 11 which may be closed when desired by a panel 12 vertically slidable in ways forming a part of the casing 10. A link 13 is pivoted at 14 upon the panel 12 and is connected at 15 to one arm of an actuating lever 16. The lever 16 is mounted upon a fixed pivot 17, and is provided with an extension 18 to which a spring 19 is attached, the lower end of the spring being secured to a portion of the casing 10, and the spring acting to partially counterbalance the weight of the panel 12.

A link 20 is pivoted at 21 to the lever 16 and extends through an opening in a bracket or guide 22 within which the link 20 is slidable. At its free end the link carries a pin or stud 23 (Figs. 6 and 7 upon which a roller 24 may be mounted, the use of the roller being optional. The stud or roller extends into a cam groove 25 formed in the front face of the double actuating cam 26. This cam is fixed to a shaft 27 rotatable in a bearing 28 fixed to the casing 10, said shaft being provided at its outer end with an operating handle 29.

The pedals 30 (Fig. 3) are mounted upon a pedal frame 31 carried by arms 32 fixed to a shaft 33 mounted in hearings in the casing 10. The pedals 30 are connected by links 34 and 35 to the movable leaf of a bellows 36, the pedal mechanism thus far described being of usual construction. An arm 37 fixed to the shaft 33 is connected by a link 38 to an actuating lever or bell crank 39. The lever 39 is pivoted at 40 to a bracket 41 secured to the casing 10, and is pivotally connected to a link 42 which extends through the opening in the guide 22 previously described. The relative positions of the links 30 and 42 are shown in Fig. 9. At its free end the link 42 is provided with a stud 43, and if desired with a cam roll 44, the stud and roll extending into a second cam groove 45 (Fig. 6) formed 011 the rear side of the actuating cam 26.

The weight of the pedals 30 and the pedal frame 31 is partially counterbalanced by a coil spring 50 (Fig, 5) mounted on the inside of the casing 10, and having a laterally projecting end portion 51 connected to one of the arms 32. As shown in the drawing, the portion 51 extends through an eye 52 fixed in said arm, but any other convenient method of attachment may be substituted for the connection shown. Adjustment between the several parts is taken care of by the provision of a series of holes in the upper end of the link 38th-rough any one of which the screw may be inserted which connects the link 38 to the bell. crank or lever 39. c

Having thus described the details of my improved pedal and panel operating mechanism, the operation thereof will vbe readily understood. In Fig. 6, the cam and the actuatinglinks are shown in the position which they occupy when the pedals. are inoperative and the panel is. closed. Comparison of the cam grooves 25 and 4L51w1ll show thatJmove-.

ment of the cam in the direction of the arrow at will immediately actuate the link 20 toraise the panel 12, while the roll 44; on

the link 42 will traverse the substantially concentric portion 45 of the groove: as, the

pedals thus. remaining substantially sta tionary until the panel is nearly raised. The roll 44 then'engages the portion l5Po the, groove45, and the linkt2 is drawn to the right-to: move the pedals to, operative pos1tion, VlZlie11-1tis desired to close thelin-i' strument the sequencev of operations. 18 re-.

versed;,the pedalsbei'ng raised while. the roll 24; is ill the oonCent-ricportion 25 ofdthe groove 25, and the panel being lowered as the; roll traverses the operative portion-25! i q h s, an may be mama terminedsequence. I

i of the cam ana the raising of the pedals and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is 1. In a player piano, in combination,- a casing having an opening therein, a panel to closesai-d' opening, a pair of pedals, andmeans to move said panel and pedals, said means including a rotatable d'oublegrooved actuating 1 can i, a separatecam follower for each groeve, and connections from-one ca-n1 5 follower to said pedals and from the other cam follower to said panel wherebysaid pedals and panel maybe operated inprede- 7 2. In player piano-, incombination, a casing having an opening therein, a panel to close saidopening, .apair of pedals, means to move said panel and peda ls,;said means comprising; operating levers, links connected: to said levers, means to slidably: support said links, an'actuatingshaft, and: a double 7 grooved actuating:- canr on said shaft-ha ving" operative connection to said links-, sai d 'cam= bein'g-efliective when turned in asingle direc-f tion to move said linksseparately but inprem determined relation and permitting a dwell of said pedals in. openingandi adwell of'said panelin: closingthe casing. 1; .1 q

In. testimony whereoi I have *hereuntoaffixed; my; signature. 7 i

HERBERT are Join i fivecents: eacnJby: addressing;the-v coinmissioner of ratents; w shins tD-fldgj u r 

